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More victories for Clare’s lifeguards

CLARE’S great success in the National Lifeguard Championships continued at the weekend at Rossnowlagh Beach in Donegal.Four hundred competitors from across the country competed along with a guest team from Wales. Clare senior men emerged as the overall champions, winning the president’s trophy. They finished ahead of Donegal ladies.Clare also won the lifesavers final for men and the junior lifesavers’ final for boys while they were in the runners-up spot in the junior lifesavers’ final for girls.The members of the President’s Trophy winning team are Oisín McGrath, Colm Fitzgerald, Bernard Cahill, Dylan Barrett and Eoin Gleeson and they also won the lifesavers’ final.The junior boys’ winning team comprised Bernard Cahill, Conor Rooney, Adam McEvoy, Daragh Glavin and Stephen Rooney.The members of the junior lifesavers girls’ team which finished in second place are Siobhán McGrath, Ciara Gleeson, Ciara Sexton, Emma Sheehy and Sarah Broderick.The winners’ prizes were presented by Tánaiste Mary Coughlan who expressed confidence in the training received from the …

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O’Flaherty wins longboard competition

Lahinch man Ollie O’Flaherty, won this years’ longboard competition, hosted by the West Coast Surf Club, in Lahinch last weekend. John McCurry from Portlaoise came second with another Lahinch man, Stephen Kelleher, in third spot. Women featured strongly in the competition. While female participation in general is still down, the organisers saw a sharp increase from last year. Ione Byrne from Sligo was the winner, from Maria Marrinan, Lahinch, with another local competitor, Ashling Coyne, in third spot.In addition to the traditional category winners, good manoeuvres and effort were also awarded: best noseride, Gary Hall; best manoeuvre, John McCurry; newcomer, Patrick Cassidy; improver, Noel Cronin.  

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Lough Ferrib in impressive form in Down

It is a long way from John Hassett’s Quin yard to Down Royal, but that journey proved worthwhile last Friday when Lough Ferrib justified good support to land the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Handicap under Sam James. Available at 11/2 in the morning, Lough Ferrib was the subject of much interest throughout the day before going off 3/1 favourite to land this 12-furlong contest and he didn’t let the side down with an impressive display at the County Down track. Despite taking a strong hold early on, Lough Ferrib, who runs in the silks of the six-strong Collar & Tie Syndicate, always looked menacing and, once James gave the 60-rated Son of Accordion the office two furlongs out, the nine-year-old forged clear to beat runner-up Hey Bosco by a comfortable two-and-a-half lengths. The winner was landing his first race on the flat, having scored three times over hurdles, and a return trip to this week’s Listowel festival, where he won 12 …

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Another Derby win for Fahy

Saturday night’s final of the Ladbrokes.com Irish Greyhound Derby set records on and off the track in a massive boost for the sport of greyhound racing. The winning time of 29.41 seconds was the fastest final in the near 80 year history of the Derby and big race winner Tyrur McGuigan’s trainer, Conor Fahy was one of the youngest ever trainers of the Derby winner, having celebrated his 22nd birthday only two days previously.In a welcome boost for the sport, Saturday’s attendance was five per cent up on the 2009 figure, while betting on the tote was also up by 3.5 per cent. “Saturday was a great night for greyhound racing in Ireland,” said Irish Greyhound Board Chief Executive Adrian Neilan. “To increase attendance and betting turnover in the present climate is a great boost for the sport, while the youth of the winning trainer and the profile of the audience over the course of the whole event is also …

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The Croker blues

With inter-county GAA commitments for the year now complete, the focus switches back to the home scene and from this weekend, club action will dominate.The members of the minor hurling panel will have little time to dwell on last Sunday’s defeat as they will be back in action with their clubs ahead of important ties in the race for the various domestic titles.For most, the next few weeks will be particularly busy, as the minor hurling and football championships resume. These competitions are well behind schedule as a number of rounds were deferred due to the involvement of the minors in the All-Ireland final.From here on, the race for the minor hurling and football championships switches to weekends so it’s likely that, for the next few weeks at least, many of the minors will have to play two games at weekends. Attempts to play some games midweek under lights are, it is understood, meeting opposition from clubs, who argue they …

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Goals cost Clare All-Ireland title

Kilkenny 2-10 Clare 0-14 ON offer at the incredibly short odds of 1/12 in the run up to the game, hot favourites Kilkenny were made to fight all the way in Sunday’s All-Ireland minor hurling final by a Clare side that showed scant regard for the Noresiders.For long periods it looked like the Banner outfit were going to upset the odds and bring home the All-Ireland crown after a lapse of 13 years. They dictated play in the opening half and deservedly led by four points at half-time. Indeed, they could and should have been further ahead at this point.The concession of two goals in the third quarter turned this tie in Kilkenny’s favour and while Clare battled to the end and were just a point adrift with two minutes to play, those goals gave the Leinster side the edge and inspired them to a 20th All-Ireland title at this level.That Clare had chances to win the tie is without …

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Opportunity knocks for outstanding minor side

ALTHOUGH they didn’t lug the Irish Press Cup down the N7 with them, the Clare minors did succeed in injecting their county’s hurling fraternity with renewed optimism and reassurance that Clare’s hurling future will be fuelled by the honourable presence of the beaten All-Ireland finalists in the coming years.A bit greedy perhaps but if there happens to be another, younger clutch of hurlers in Clare, who can wield the hurley and will wear the county jersey with the same honesty and skill level as the 2010 minors, the county senior team will soon regularly familiarise itself with the road to Croke Park.Throw the 2009 All-Ireland U-21 hurlers into the blend and there is the making of a doughty, highly skilled Clare senior team in maybe three or four years time.Before peering too far beyond the current calendar year though, it would be remiss not to dwell on Clare’s display last Sunday and indeed all year.What immediately resonated was the certainty …

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Banner backbone for national junior team

CLARE Junior Surf Lifesavers played a big role in the European Junior Lifesaving Championships last week with seven of the 10-strong Irish team hailing from the Banner. The boys were the big medal winners but the girls put in a tremendous effort and acquitted themselves well.Held in Antwerp, Belgium, competitors were tested in simulated rescue scenarios, directly related to elements of lifeguarding on the beach, open water and in a pool.They team was Bernard Cahill, Dylan Barrett, Conor Rooney, Declan Bredin, Eoin Trihy, Siobhán McGrath, Caoimhe Gowran, Luíse O’Donovan, Gemma Haughey and Aimee Walsh. Clare’s Oisín McGrath was the team coach with Colm Fitzgerald the assistant coach. The Irish team manager was Sarah English.The Irish team was in first place in the beach events and second overall for beach and open water.   ResultsBoard paddle race: Bernard Cahill (gold); Dylan Barrett (ninth) and Declan Bredin (10th) in A final; Siobhán McGrath (eighth) in A final; Caoimhe Gowran (B final).Run swim …

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